RR is failing as soon as it tries to update realtime data

[TFZ_Z06]

I'm in OLSD mode right now TRYING to tune my VE table. RR allows a read/write, but when I put it in realtime mode and it starts to update, it fails immediately stating it can not comm w/RR, locking the pc until I reboot.

Has anybody experienced this and how did you fix it? I am using a direct cable not bluetooth.

[mr.prick]

what version of firmware is installed on the RR?
do you have the latest driver installed?

[TFZ_Z06]

what version of firmware is installed on the RR?
do you have the latest driver installed?

I think its 12.14.R. I will go out and check. Also, I have build 64 of EFI Live, I guess thats the latest.

I just got a new RR today. I used the same software and setup to use the old one w/out problem. The only diff is I installed that blasted bluetooth driver. I wonder if somehow that is a problem. BTW, I am not using BT.

[mr.prick]

your symptoms of a dropped connection and frozen PC are what i got
way back when i first got mine,
it had the old (12.13.R) firmware and an older driver.
upgrading both of those stopped the locking software.
make sure your firewall is not the problem,
mine tends to not tell me that it is blocking an application or port
unless i have it running in the back ground.
other than a hard reset that`s all i can think of.

[TFZ_Z06]

your symptoms of a dropped connection and frozen PC are what i got
way back when i first got mine,
it had the old (12.13.R) firmware and an older driver.
upgrading both of those stopped the locking software.
make sure your firewall is not the problem,
mine tends to not tell me that it is blocking an application or port
unless i have it running in the back ground.
other than a hard reset that`s all i can think of.

I looked at Firewall (AVG) and that doesn't look like a problem.
Ver = 12.14.R
I don't get the hard reset. Just flip it to flash mode, write the bin, then go back to EMU?

[TFZ_Z06]

Answer = Take RR apart, direct hook up to mini-onboard USB. worked flawlessly after that. guess I have to catch up
on using BlueTooth technology.

[mr.prick]

I looked at Firewall (AVG) and that doesn't look like a problem.
Ver = 12.14.R
I don't get the hard reset. Just flip it to flash mode, write the bin, then go back to EMU?


with ignition on, toggle from emulation to flash and then back to emulation.
sometimes you need to download the tune to the RR to make it reboot.

[TFZ_Z06]

with ignition on, toggle from emulation to flash and then back to emulation.
sometimes you need to download the tune to the RR to make it reboot.

Thanks, I went ahead and did that as an added precaution.
I think its working ok now.

I took a drive in 101F earlier and no failure for 30 mins straight. I ended up completely disassembling the PCM and removing the round pin connector. That apparently is a possible source of problems according to Craig M. I then went directly to the RR pcm board's mini-usb.

Now, for a whole new problem. When I use the Exclusion filters and add
"exclude" "greater than " 60% tp, the RR stops working at idle. As soon as I click it off, on comes the RR again. I wonder if thats programmed correct...

[hquick]

You got a reply from Craig on this issue..well...aren't you the lucky one..Lol!
I got '0' support on this issue and it's obvious I'm not a 'one off'.
Quite a few have had this issue.
At present I have a USB extension cable connected to the RR USB cable (still plugged into that round plug) and then to the USB port on my laptop.
When looking at the flat RR USB plug....it looks like the pins are slightly narrower than the other USB cables I have. I tried everything and it used to either drop out as soon as it started updating or 5mins down the road.
Nothing else has issues in the USB ports on my laptop so it's not the ports.
I might pull the PCM open and connect an RJ45 plug inside it and run straight to that.

http://forum.efilive.com/showthread.php?t=8275&page=2

Let us know how it goes.

P.S. You don't need to reboot when it locks up. Pull the USB cable and just plug it back in. Then start the RR again.

[TFZ_Z06]

You got a reply from Craig on this issue..well...aren't you the lucky one..Lol!
I got '0' support on this issue and it's obvious I'm not a 'one off'.
Quite a few have had this issue.
At present I have a USB extension cable connected to the RR USB cable (still plugged into that round plug) and then to the USB port on my laptop.
When looking at the flat RR USB plug....it looks like the pins are slightly narrower than the other USB cables I have. I tried everything and it used to either drop out as soon as it started updating or 5mins down the road.
Nothing else has issues in the USB ports on my laptop so it's not the ports.
I might pull the PCM open and connect an RJ45 plug inside it and run straight to that.

http://forum.efilive.com/showthread.php?t=8275&page=2

Let us know how it goes.

P.S. You don't need to reboot when it locks up. Pull the USB cable and just plug it back in. Then start the RR again.

I have not had a failure since I plugged in to the mini onboard usb port on the RR. The RJ45 sounds like a good idea too. The problem I have w/the RJ45 idea is this same path is causing the problem w/data transmission, so it is possible you will still have data problems. Bypass this w/the mini-usb.
I could not get the bluetooth to work, but Craig stated data transmission errors were reduced w/it too.

[hquick]

Thanks...took your advice.
We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/hquick/0411%20PCM/P8030194.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/hquick/0411%20PCM/P8030196.jpg

[hquick]

Craig got in touch with me today and suggested removing the ribbon cable completely.
I did this and it detected the RR and connected straight away.
TFZ...did you remove the ribbon cable or leave it there as well as the mini USB?
Craig suggested there may be an issue with the ribbon cables and noise.

[TFZ_Z06]

Craig got in touch with me today and suggested removing the ribbon cable completely.
I did this and it detected the RR and connected straight away.
TFZ...did you remove the ribbon cable or leave it there as well as the mini USB?
Craig suggested there may be an issue with the ribbon cables and noise.

I removed the ribbon cable.

[hquick]

That seems to make the difference.
I first tried connecting straight to the mini usb but I'd left the original connection complete...ie, ribbon still connected internally.
This is the reply I just received from Craig.

Well, it appears that there is enough RFI within the PCM itself (injector drivers, ignition triggers, etc) to disturb communications via pickup on that unshielded section. I’m working on another solution which will replace the interconnect and perhaps fix the issue while still using the weatherconnector. However, overall, I’ve got to say that the straight USB is how I’d have liked it to be from the start.

I'm happy he's working it out.

[hquick]

Ran it four times today with no issues at all.
Infact....my AFR's don't seem to be going crazy like they were so maybe it was also affecting that.

[joecar]

Howard, glad it's working... :cheers:

For my own education, what is the ribbon cable for...?

[hquick]

The ribbon cable connects the weatherproof USB socket to the RR PCB.
It comes with the RR.
The silver/shielded USB cable in those pic's is the one I installed.

[N0DIH]

I just got my RR going and I am able to flash just fine, but when I try to change things either the engine stumbles or I lock up the RR and I can't talk to it at all. R&R the USB cable doesn't do it. I lost the comm port and couldn't get it back, rebooted, no dice, finally pulled the RR PCM out (it was awfully hot from the 90F temps, running engine, and in direct sun) so maybe it overheated?

Put it inside the car without being hooked to the car and it would work again. Not sure what is up.

It did run on it, but so far not able to change anything real time.

Should I try the USB cable direct to it?

[GMPX]

FYI, Craig now has a dedicated support person, so you should be able to get some communications with them now.

Cheers,
Ross

[hquick]

That is EXACTLY the issue I was having Tom.
Check your PM's.
Yes Ross...and it's making a world of difference. Communications go a LONG way.

[N0DIH]

Depending on what I am doing, some updates are smooth, some the engine rpm varies (low) and sometimes stalls.

What sort of connector as a pass through did you use? I might be doing the same thing here pretty quick.

[hquick]

I didn't use a connector Tom. I used that fitting you see in my pic's which is a compression gland (cable entry gland). I cut the end off the USB cable, passed it through the gland, soldered the fitting back on and put some glue impregnated heatshrink sleeving over it. This eliminates one join in the connection from laptop to PCM.
The ribbon cable MUST BE REMOVED for the mini USB to work properly.

[N0DIH]

I'll work on a connector to make my life easier, is Craig working on something? I don't wanna dupe his work.

Thanks for the advise on removing the ribbon, makes sense, probably a termination issue.

[hquick]

Yes....Craig is working on a fix.

[N0DIH]

I'll touch base with him, his website talks about "impending doom".....

[GMPX]

I'll touch base with him, his website talks about "impending doom".....

Pretty sure Craig live down in Louisiana, maybe he was bracing himself!.

Cheers,
Ross

[TAQuickness]

Ah... It was only a category 2 by the time it got to BR. LA has afternoon showers worse than that!

[dfe1]

Aside from outright failures, has anyone had a problem with RR simply not working in real time? I can connect with no problem, the engine starts and runs fine, but when I make a change and tell RR to update, nothing happens. I haven't connected a wide band yet, but I'd expect RR to function and handle things like changes in idle speed, timing and other simple changes. Anyone have any insight?

[hquick]

No filters set?

[dfe1]

No filters set?
No, I've just been trying to verify RR operation. Everything seems to work as it should, except that when I change an entry and send it to RR, nothing changes. I tried making a change, sending it to RR, then uploaded the file from RR and it was the same as the original download. I'm just trying to figure out if the problem is with me or RR.

[hquick]

Have you tried it on something obvious....like idle speed or something so you can deffinately notice a difference?
You type in the change and hit 'enter'?

[TFZ_Z06]

No, I've just been trying to verify RR operation. Everything seems to work as it should, except that when I change an entry and send it to RR, nothing changes. I tried making a change, sending it to RR, then uploaded the file from RR and it was the same as the original download. I'm just trying to figure out if the problem is with me or RR.

I guess you were in realtime mode too? I have not had this problem. I have made the mistake of having a filter set and forget to uncheck it, caused no rr activity. That caused me a headache one night for about an hour.

With all this talk, its time to go out and play with it again.

[dfe1]

Have you tried it on something obvious....like idle speed or something so you can deffinately notice a difference?
You type in the change and hit 'enter'?
Yes, I thought that was the most obvious thing to do. I changed idle speed, sent the change to RR, and nothing happened. It's been a few weeks since I played with it, so I'll try again and see if there's a filter issue or something else I missed. Thanks for the suggestions.

[TNT76]

Mine hasnt got the mini usb on it? Might be one of the earlier ones.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg78/tnt76/RR-Guts.jpg

[hquick]

Might be best to get in touch with Craig Moates.

[TFZ_Z06]

Mine hasnt got the mini usb on it? Might be one of the earlier ones.


Hi, I'm subscribed to this thread, just happen to be surfing and happened to
talk to Craig about another issue (non EFI/RR related). I mentioned your post. He recommended a Ferrite Bead:

http://www.moates.net/product_info.php?cPath=32&products_id=202